Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-02-04
A WOMAN'S COURAGE.

". u
In glsncipg over the Pages OF Washington
1rving's "Skctch Book" I noticed this pas.
sage: al have often had occasion 10 remark
the fortitude with which women sustain the
most overwhelming reverse OF fortune. Those
disasters which break down the spirit of a
man and prostrate him in tho dust, seem to
call forth all the energies of the softer sex,
aud give such intrepldity and elevation TO
their character, that at times it approaches to
sublimity." "How true that is" thought, |
as my book sank into my lap, aud number |
of cases passed ia review before nv minds |
eye, corroborslns the authors statement |
How often the emergencies of the hour--par. |
tcularly in tho service OF a loved one--.Nill !
cause to be exhibited, not only mental deter.
mination before unsupported but most re.
mark able physical endurance - welt
A NEST striking ,Oiure of the fortituds
which distinguishes our sex, mingled with
the sensibility and tenderness OF The other
| Is shown in the narrative OF the adventures
OF Madame Gudlu des Oiuuais The hazard.
Gus undertaking of q voyage down tho
Amszon river (to which ambition prompted
| Orellana. and TO " hich science tempted NJ.
| Candamine aud, IL our own time, Agassz)
| was undertaken by Madame Godin from con.
jusal affection. Her husband being detained
In France, she desired to Join him and the
narrative OF the hardshlps that she endured,
| ard the dangers to which she was exposed 10
tha. effort Is singular aud affecting story.
| II was in the year OF l76e, that size started
| from kisbamba, where she had been resid.
ing, Intending to so by the way OF Laguns,
| to France She was accompanied by her
| brothers; Steur r., u physician, aud his
| servant her faithful negro, and three female
| Indian donestics together with AN escort Cl
| thlrty.Cae 1niiius, to carry herself aud her
| baggage, the ROAD being impassable even ior
| mules They had scarcely reached CouclCs,
| when the Indians deserted her. She deter.
| mined 10 proceed, however, regardless OF the
| danger, ana eBdeavoTed TO procure other ma.
tives to replace the deserters. she found that
| but two remained alive In the village that
| had but recently been depCpulated by the
Z | smallpox These she engaged to take
: | her to the mission of Andoas, about twelve
| l dsys' journey lower, on the river BObanszi,
' | q distance OF about l50 leagues. The Ind diaus
had no canoe, but she PATIENTLY waited Tor
them to construct sone, paying them In sd.
!. | vance, aud IN due time the party quilted
I | CancioS After sailing two days, they
stopped 70 rass the night on shore, and in
the morning found, to their chaGrin, tia. the
l. | two Indians had dscsmped while they slept
4. | TheNweTe now compelled to proceed with
out pilot; and 70 add TO theembarrassment OF
| the situation, the canoe began To leak, which
e | obliged them To land. They were within
- | tive or six days Journey from AndCls; and
e sieur b concluded to push on with
It | his servant, promising Madame Godin aud
Il her brothers that they should have a canoe
and Indians in less than fifteen days,
u Time dragged wearily by, to the CxpeCtani
" | little party, but az last the morning OF the
fifteenth aay dawnej, though they were
| doomed to disappointment, for no relief ap
pesred and the sixteenth sud seventeenth
-, | slowly drew 10 close without bringing any
'I | oce. Aiier waiting twenty-five days, heart
x | sick With hope deferred, despsiring OF ANY
or | assistance from that quarter, they made
raft upon which ihey placed all their effects
and proceeded slowly down the river. For
short time all went well, and they had begun
% 10 congratulate themselves that they wouI,
10 be able to reach their destination in that mau
ner, when thtic raft caught on q sDag anC
1 "a ayt n kp ri frAr prry
:, nstely no one was Injured, but they wer
~ ~ too much frightened TO again hazard II, s.
rl- they resolved 70 follow the course Of tn
On ! river on loot What an enterprise lhi
& river Is hordered by tropical forests such a
"a l Charles Kingsley SO beautifully describes II
a., | his fascinating book, "At Last - "a pros
a poem," II has been called, from the openin
az 10 the close. Palms OF twenty specie
OF lowered above their heads there, uader th
W | tOrrid noon, and around them ran vines
We ! hundreds of kinds, ia.tenlnS IN the trop
no | cal sunshine. Minor shrubs spraD
a., | up filing all the inters- ices of tho woods an
tp blended with the branches OF the trees, torn
hP | ing au almost 1mpenctTable iuass of iolisg;
or through which the sunlight rarely shone. /
is | these rank bot-heds Of nature swarmed
million kinds of iile-animsls, birds, insect!
M | ana last but not least to be considered by ou
s,- disCousolate party, were the reptiles III
! forests swsrmed with them. There we're a
IN sizes, from the enormous boa constructor I
lat | the even more 10 be DIR 9aded little wa.e
res | moccss,n and all CulUTe--blaCk, brown
| green and speckled, lively and lazy, prett
ca | and plain ones Taking their provision
.. | they commenced their melancholy journey
| but observing that the course OF the xiv;
heightened their route, they entered IL
wood, and in few days lost their wa,
ina | Their provisions were exhausted by this tim
ma and siuco leaving the river they ha
- | been unable TO ind water; so, oppresse
na' by thirst, with feet sOrgiy wounded by Il
or; | thorus and brieTs, they continued 10 pus
.st their way through the immeasurable al
gloomy forests, drawing reircshment fro
the berries and fruits that they were Rble
collect, These, however were insufficient
has support tho strength Tor the tremendous g
! erticns that they were constantly making
op. and at last they sucCumh0t to exhaustion al
np | Sank down helpless and f0TlOrn. liter
,IS discouraged, tnOy !mpatisuuy waited (,
,'y death 10 relieve tnern from misery. Iu q
~ next four days they all died. sucCessive
wo eIcept Madame Goada herself who
he | mainsd stretched beside the COfpses OF II
: a | companions Tor forty eight hours, deprive
On. | o! the use of all her faculties.
ho, At last orSciousEess returned, and shs
~. sumed hor journey, after cutting oil the col
10 | OF her lislCSS b.Otber's shoes, and bludii
ent | them on her torn and bleeding fee. 81
.ral | was almost naked tho two Cioaks that 81
bound around her body, having been--lI
the rest OF her c!Othing-almost torn 10 pieC
ur In her struggle through the brush. AIT
ny | leaving the mOurnfui scsne, she wander
'oh | about Tor two days before she found wat
ich | and some Wild irult aud eggs; ; bat so mu
her | was her throat contracted By her long ia
so | that she could scarcely swallow enough
rod thesustenaL CO 10 SUPP or her enaciated frau
- After nine days Of solitary wandering, :
~" reached the borders of B1baua2a, where s
'H' fortunately met two Indians, who took L
ian | to AndoaA From there sLe proceeded
,ol. | Lsguna, and there took passage for Franz
or. whore she arrived in due time ard fou
ba, | consolatol IN the approving smiles Of q
,h, husband iof whom she had dared so much